The Shadow of the Gods (The Bloodsworn Saga)

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Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 John Gwynne has improved on everything that made The Shadow of the Gods great! The stakes are higher, the characters are more compelling, and the world is fleshed out more! However, this book does feel like a middle book in some ways. There is a lot of travelling in this book which does slow the pace of the story down a bit. However, the conclusion is incredible and heartbreaking! It is worth reading this book just to experience the last chapters of this book!

The Hunger of the gods is the second book in The Bloodsworn Saga and though it pains me to say it, I have to say this book didn’t live up to expectations, it was still a great book though 4/5 stars but I expected more. Anyway they were selling signed copies of The Shadow of the Gods, and eventually I caved. By that point I was loving the book too much to resist a signed copy for my collection! Ares is the POV Character of this chapter and during this chapter he meets with Posiedan of whom he finds is still very angry over what happened with the Empire of Numeron. During this early part of the chapter the two discuss their mutual invovlement in the Rise of the Atlantian Pantheon and how much they had both invested in that attempt. The arrival of Odin brings them to talking of what went wrong with the Pantheon and they agree that if they tried again they would do things differently, leading to the three leaving eachother and Ares thinking on doing what they did with the Atlantian Pantheon again but this time have a single person in charge and they would act alongside this individual. I’m still not quite sure how it was possible for Gwynne to add even more depth, or build on to his already fantastic realm of Vigrid, and amazing group of characters… but he did. I’ve never been so instantly connected to such a large group of characters in a book or series. Everyone loves Orka & Brecca, she’s honestly one of my all time favorite characters. But I found myself waiting for Elvar, and Varg’s POV chapters. I adored the dynamic between Røkia, Svik (my favorite), and Varg! Their humor and camaraderie brought so much light into this rather dark world. If Varg & Røkia don’t end up together, I will riot. Also notable mention to the creepy, yet adorable Vesli and Spert. Never would’ve thought I’d enjoy a tooth crunching little flying monster or a water scorpion??? But here we are.I received an uncorrected proof copy of The Shadow of the Gods in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to John Gwynne and Orbit Books. And it is really good. We got even more in depth worldbuilding, more time with the characters I loved in SotG, the mythology of the first book is expanded. Gwynne remains excellent at writing combat, and developing characters that you root for. Gwynne added two new POVs that gave us perspective on the villains and this added a lot to the brewing conflict. The ending of this book was incredible, even better than book 1!

Absolutely nothing.... Maybe I'm a little biased when it comes to John Gwynne but I honestly couldn't find anything wrong with this book. If I have to complaint, only thing I can thing of right now is that there is no book 3. I need it ASAP 😬 Prepare to dive into a dark and powerful Norse-inspired fantasy with the incredible and addictive new novel from superstar fantasy author John Gwynne, The Shadow of the Gods. Gwynne is highly regarded fantasy author who has been making some major waves since his 2012 dark fantasy debut, Malice, the first book in The Faithful and the Fallen series. Gwynne has so far written two major fantasy series, the four-novel long The Faithful and the Fallen, and the sequel Of Blood and Bone series. His latest novel, The Shadow of the Gods, is the first book in The Bloodsworn Saga, which will follow a group of epic protagonists in a bloody and grim Norse-inspired fantasy world. It’s rude,” Gudvar muttered, “and would not be so brave and foolish as to insult me if those bars were not there to protect it.” First of all huge thanks to the publisher and author for approving my request on NetGalley and it goes without saying that this is my unbiased review/opinion. I really loved reading the first part of the Bloodsworn Saga, The Shadow of the Gods, by John Gwynne and I’m already excited for the next instalment!Varg’s perspective is important for spoiler-ish reasons, but he’s entirely focused throughout the majority on finding his sister’s killer and getting vengeance (in a very Viking-like style, there’s quite a lot of that in this book). In a way he kind of falls into the Bloodsworn almost by accident, but as a former thrall he has a lot of character development in the story as he becomes a warrior as the rest of his new family are. The Shadow of the Gods is set in a Norse-inspired world filled with cutthroat groups of people and monsters. As the synopsis states, it’s after the gods have all fallen but there are people who are descended from them and have qualities. And… there is of course a huge dragon on the cover, and I am all for dragons in anything! My biggest complaint about this book is in the characters. They all have strong motivations, and this book helps us to understand intellectually what their goals and needs are. However, this book does not seem concerned with helping us feel what the characters are feeling. Many of the characters have revenge quests that should feel emotionally charged, and yet the book prioritized the action of the plot over those emotions.

And also, the character interaction especially the conversation between the main characters were handled wonderfully and I would love to read more of other characters reaction when they find out Orka is the Skullsplitter.Elvar is equally a cool character. She’s determined to be a warrior and gain fame for it, instead of being used as a way for her father to gain more power. The Battle-Grim she’s a part of are mercenaries who seem to mostly care about making money, no matter what they have to do for it. However, they’re still basically a great example of found family. I think it’s important to note that can be said for both the Battle-Grim and Bloodsworn, they’re both predominantly a collection of random people who come together and look after one another no matter what. The first book I have read that managed to make all the main characters grow on me and no one is less lovable or exciting than the other. The book contains three storylines, all told side by side. This has worked well, keeps the tension high and provides enough variety without being long. On the one hand there is Orka, whose family suffers terrible things in the book, and because of this we realise what a strong woman Orka is and who fights for her family and would do anything for them. She is also a woman full of secrets, and we only find out about her past at the end, because it is clear from the beginning that she is more than she seems. I also liked the young Varg. Varg has ventured out of his shell more and more over time. He finds himself in a constant conflict, because on the one hand his own oath weighs on him, which he must fulfil at all costs. On the other hand, as a former slave without friends, he learns more and more about freedom and the sworn community of his mercenary troop, which means more and more to him. Varg is also a brave fighter and has his heart in the right place. The warrior Elvar is ambitious and always in search of fame and glory. She wants to prove herself in many dangerous battles and show the world that she is not the effeminate daughter of a wealthy family. Like Orka, she is a strong woman who will surely develop in the following volumes. In addition, there are a number of other characters who enrich the plot and provide variety. I would love to tell you which character I liked best, but each plot line was extraordinarily interesting and each character showed so much heart and courage that I’m afraid I can’t choose one. Ares is the POV Character of this chapter and during this chapter he storms past several of the guards of his brother Zues's palace and begins yelling at his brother as he knows that the death of Yen Fang would not have happened had Zeus not forces Ares and the other Noble Titans to abandon Yen Fang to the forces of Chaos. Orka though… what a woman. She reminded me a lot of Lagertha (from Vikings) and that is 100% a compliment as I adore Lagertha. She goes through the worst situations during the book itself though and it was so heartbreaking to read, which is great in a sense because it just goes to show how much you care for the characters due to Gwynne’s writing. And if I do not find him, then I shall have my vengeance. In my opinion, the best fantasy novels have very little to do with the actual fight scenes and everything to do with the characters' personal journeys. They go above and beyond what their body is capable of and use their strengths to fight off fears as they embark on their voyage. I love how this series focuses on strong and fierce heroines. From Orka to Rokia, to Elvar and Myrk. You do not want to mess with them, but you would be proud (and honored) to hold up a seax and battle right along side them.